Linotype-machine.



PATENTE!) MAY 26, 1908.

H. PETERSEN.

LINOTYPE MACHINE.

Arrmo'rrol FILED AUG. se. 1807.

HANS PETERSEN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MIN NESOTA.

GTYPE- z.

Specicetion of Letters Patent.

Patentes may ae, ieee.

Application filed August 26, 1907. Serial No. 390,094.

. To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Haivsln'ransnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minnea olis, in the count of Hennepin and State ot Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Linot pe-Machines; and l do hereby declare the fo lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable ot ers skilled in' the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to so-called linotype machines, wherein matrices are released, one at a time, from a ma azine by means of escapement'devices, anI` are delivered through guide channels to the casting mechanism where the linot pe or slug is cast from the assembled line ot matrices, and the said matrices are subse uently returned to the magazine by a suitab e distributng'mechanism.

ln practice, it has been found that certain letters of the alphabet are used much more frequently than others, and, hence, that a very muc larger number of matrices bearing these frequently used letters must be employed than is required of matrices bearing certain less frequently used letters. This has necessitated the use of either very long magazine channels, or of two or more magazine channels to contain the large number of matrices bearing the frequently used letters or characters.

ln at least 'one instance, matrices bearing the same characters have been placed in two adjacent ma azine channels, and escapement mechanism as been provided in coperation therewith, whereby when setting up one line of matrices, all of a certain letter, say the lettei` e, will be taken out of the one ma azine channel, and then, in settin the next ine of matrices, all of the matrices caring the character e will be taken out of the other channel. With such arrangement, it will frequently happen that all or nearly allof the matrices in the one channel will be usedup,while there still remains quite a large' number of the saine letter matriqee in the twin or duplicate channels, and that the shift will be made to the nearly or quite eint magazine channel. This condition has 't erto made it necessary to einploy, for safety, a larger number of mattoms of t e magazine channels 2. y illustration, the magazine channels 2 are rices, and hence, longer matrix channels th would otherwise be required. f

My present invention, broadly stated, consists in the provision, in connection with the pair or group of magazine channels for matrices bearing the same character, of'escapements and escapement actuating mechanism arranged .to actuate the several escapenients, one at a time, and in a repeating order of succession. Witli this arran ement where, for instance, the said channe s are arranged in pairs, thematrices may be released, one at a time, alternately from the said channels. It therefore follows that the number of matrices in either one of the'two channels will never exceed, more than by one, the number in the other channel. Hence, as long as there is a single matrix in either one of the two channels, there will be a matirx available for use when re uired. This reduces to a minimum the num er of matrices and the length of the magazine'channels which must be used..

The invention is illustrated in the accomanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the lower portion of a matrix magazine land its support and illustratin my improved escapement mechanism app ied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line r2 z2 of Fig. i. Fig. 3 is a detail View in plan, showing a composite actuatin wheel; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections ta en respectively on the lines x4 x", x5 :v5 and x 2: of Fig. 3.

The matrices 1 are contained in channels 2 of a magazine 3, which magazine, as shown, is su ported at its delivery end by a bracket 4. T e numeral 5 indicates a pawl guiding block that is set into a recess 6 in the upper portion of the bracket 4 and is rigidly secured to said bracket. This guide block 5 has ortions that roject through recesses in the otlln this grouped in airs with the members of the pairs lateral y spaced and adjacentl to each other.

'Working vthrough suitable longitudinally spaced passages in the bottom of each magaesaeee eine channel 2, and in the guide block 5, is a pair of cndwise movable escapement pawls 7J llach pair of escapement pawls 7 is pivotally connected to a rocker or lever 8 that is intermediately pivotedon a shaft 9 suitably sup'- ported by the upper ortion of the bracket 4. in the construction i lustrated, each of these rockers S is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm 10 and with a depending arm 11. A. spring 12, shown as secured at its lower end to the supporting bracket 9, engages the depending arm 11 of each rocker Y8, and exerts a force tending to hold the said rocker and its'escapement pawls-7 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

rl`he two rockers, which coperate with the two magazine channels containing matrices bearing the same character, are arranged to be alternately oscillated by a pair of cam wheels 13 which, as shown, are rigidly secured to an interposed ratchet 'wheel 14.,

The cam wheels lhavelthef same number of ratchet-like teeth or cam surfaces (as shown, four), but the teeth of the one cam wheel are set ninety degrees ahead ofthe teeth of the other cam wheel. The intermediate ratchet wheel 14 -is vprovided with twice as many teeth as the cam wheels 13, being, as shown, eightin number. Each cam wheel Y13 operates on the rearwardly extended arm 10of a rocker 8, and the composite wheel, made up of the said members 13-14-13, are rot'atively mounted on a shaft 15 which is suitably supported at its ends by depending lugs 16 of the supporting bracket 4.

For each grou of wheels 13-14 -13 there is a key-contro led reciprocatory actuator which, as illustrated, is in the form of a bar or long driving awl 17 which'is arranged to move endwise t irough a guide head 18 suitabl secured to the supporting bracket 4, and yie dingly pressed forward. by a light spring 19 secured to the said guide head. A stop bracket 20 secured to the guide head -18 limits the upward movement of the driving bar or pawl 17. Said driving bar or pawl 17 may be actuated in any suitable way, such, for instance, as by the well known key-controlled power mechanism used inthe standard commercial linotype machines.'

The o eration of the mechanism above describe is substantially as follows: When the `proper kev is depressed, the drivingbar or pawl 17 will be forced upward and its up-y per end will engage with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 11,` and thereby impart a one-eighth step of rotary movement thereto and to the two cam wheels 13. Such rotary movement of the said cam wheels will cause one or the other thereof to oscillate the rocker 8 in a direction to'lower its most forward escapement pawl 7 and raise its rearward escapement pawl 7. This will allow the lowermost matrix 1 to escape rom'the correspond- `escapement and the sai ing channel, and will permit the next succeeding matrixol2 that channel to lower censiderably, hut the upwardly moved rear pawl 7 will hohl the latter back until it has been engage d by a return movement of the forward escapement pawl produced by passing of the operative tooth or cam surface forward of the free end of the rocker arm 10.

It is thus evident that, under successive steps of movement of the composite wheel 13-14-13, the escapement devices that cooperate with the two adjacent duplicate channels will be operated one after the other, as heretofore more fully set forth.

What I claim isz- 1. The combination with a group of lmatrix channels adapted to contain matrices bearing the same character, of esca ement mechanism including a common actuating key arranged to release the matrices, one at a time, iirst one from one of said channels and e then one from another of said channels, in a definite repeating order of succession under repeated key movements, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pair of matrix channels adapted to contain matrices bearing the same character, of coperating escapement mechanism arranged to release the matrices, 011e at a time, first one'from one of said channels and then one from the other of tially as described.

3. The combination with a group of matrix channels adapted to contain matrices bearing the same character, of .escapement mechanisn'i comprising pawls, rockers and rocker actuating cam wheels, with the said cam wheels'set one in advance of the other, whereby the escapement dogs coperating with diferent'channels will be operated in a repeating order of succession, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a pair of matrix channels located side by side and adapted to contain matrices bearing the same. character, of Aindependent escapement devices for each channe and means for intermittently and alternately operating said 'escapement devices, whereby the matrices willbe released irstone from one. of said channels and then one from the other of said channels in alternate order, substantially as described.

.5. The combination with a group of matrix channels located side by side, of independent escapementdevices for said channels, cam wheels connected for common rotation, eachv cam wheel o erating a different dp cam wheels being set one in advance of the other, whereby the said cscapements will be actuated -in succession, and means for imparting intermittent rotary movement to said cam Wheels, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a pair offmatrix mittentiy operative on said ratchet wheel,

channels adapted to contain matrices bearsubstantially as described. 10 ing the same character, of a rocker, a ratchet- In testimony whereof I affix my signature like cam wheel operative thereon', and a pair in presenceI .of two witnesses.

5 of escapement pawls operated thereby, a HANS PETERSEN.

ratchet wheel connected for common inter- Witnesses:

mittent rotary movement with the said two M. E RONEY,

cam wheels, and afvibratory driver inter- F. D. MERCHANT. 

